Iceland

If you’re planning to go to Iceland, you really don’t need to know any Icelandic– Nearly all Icelanders speak fluent English. But a few phrases and words will help you figure out what’s going on. For example, below you’ll learn you that “safn” as a suffix means museum or collection. Take a look at the picture above. Now that you know safn, it’s easier to figure out that Grafíksafn would be something like a graphics museum.

You most likely won’t be having conversations in Icelandic. What worked for me when speaking to Icelanders was the “sandwich” approach, which isn’t actually a real thing. Say a greeting in Icelandic, say what you need to say in English, and then say goodbye in Icelandic. For example: Read more

There was a point in our trip planning where we realized we had no idea what we needed to pack. We had plane tickets and lodging figured out. But what did we need to bring with us?

First, make sure you know what the average temperature is for the time of year you will be visiting Iceland. Here’s a graph, taken from our Hours of Daylight in Iceland post. You’ll notice that it isn’t as cold as you may fear, at least in Reykjavik—average highs are above freezing year-round:

The South Coast of Iceland is one of the most popular areas for tourist to visit when they venture out of Reykjavik. There’s a lot to see and do: waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches, and more.

Arcanum is a tour company that operates in south Iceland, and can take you beyond what you are able to see and do on your own. They offer 3 different tours; we were lucky enough to try all 3 with various subsets of kids. Any of these tours could be a highlight of your vacation. See below for our reviews … and lots of pictures!

UPDATED MAY 2017: Fakasel’s web site says there are temporarily closed, and it has said that for about a month. I don’t have any additional information, but it is strange for an attraction to be “temporarily” closed as we approach the busy summer tourist season. I’ll let you know if I found out what’s going on.

Perhaps I should work on a list of underappreciated things to see in Iceland. I’d put the Westman Islands on there. The petting zoo Slakki. Probably the local thermal pools. I’m not quite sure Fakasel makes the list, but the afternoon show might come close. The large tour bus companies seem to have discovered this place, but maybe not people touring on their own.

Fakasel is on Route 1, between Hveragerði and Selfoss. Those are some of the first towns you will come across heading east from Reykjavik; Fakasel is about 40 minutes from the center of Reykjavik. And right as you pull into the parking lot, you’ll know you’ve arrived.

The Blue Lagoon seems to overshadow all of the other things you can do in Grindavik, or on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It feels like I’m on a bit of a crusade to get people to experience other things in Reykjanes: In particular, I’m a big fan of the Reykjanes Geopark (which really takes up most of the peninsula.)

One more adventurous tour we tried in Grindavik was a buggy tour with 4X4 Adventures Iceland. These tours allow you to explore the Reykjanes Geopark in a very different way. The word “buggy” might not convey the right tone here– think of an ATV, but one that can hold 4 people. Here is a picture of the ATVs, taken from the 4X4 Adventure’s web site:

A common question people ask is, “What will the roads be like when I will be in Iceland?” This is a difficult question to answer. Let’s start with a few generalities, and then dive down into some specifics over the last year:

In the summer (say mid June through mid September), barring a recent storm, most roads should be in good shape. Many F roads may still be closed until July, but you should avoid F roads in Iceland unless you really know what you are doing.

In the winter (say December through March) you should expect at least some slippery spots throughout, even on Ring Road and other major roads. Ice and slush and blowing snow will be common, even if they are just in limited spots.

The rest of the time (so, mid September through November, and April through mid June) the answer varies with the year. You should be fine most of the time in May, though you can still have snow in May, especially in the mountains. Here’s a picture from May 29, 2016 on the mountain pass from Egilsstaðir to Seyðisfjörður in East Iceland:

We relied on Google Maps almost exclusively for our journeys around Iceland. We have gotten slightly lost, but nowhere near enough to become famous. Here are some of our experiences and recommendations. Read more

I think this is one of the greatest things in Iceland. Let’s start with a quick description of puffins. Atlantic Puffins are seabirds found around Iceland, Greenland, and several other areas in the North Atlantic.

Most of the year, they live out on the ocean, diving for food; you can recognize them by their rapidly flapping wings. Read more

We spent nearly 3 months in Iceland; when I ask the kids what their favorite thing was, the answer is immediate. “Whale watching!” Well, that’s the answer from some of them; some of them didn’t go. They were too worried about getting seasick on the 4 hour ride. But the rest of us tried 3 different trips; here are the tips and tricks we have learned. Knowing what I know now, I think everyone in our family could have enjoyed whale watching!

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About Us

We are a family of seven (2 adults and 5 kids, ages 6 months-14 years!), taking an extended tour of Iceland during summer 2016. We have been chronicling our preparation and travel here on IcelandWithKids, and are now beginning to compile our experiences into a book to help families better plan their first experiences travelling abroad with children.

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About Us

We are a family of seven (2 adults and 5 kids, ages 6 months-14 years!), taking an extended tour of Iceland during summer 2016. We have been chronicling our preparation and travel here on IcelandWithKids, and are now beginning to compile our experiences into a book to help families better plan their first experiences travelling abroad with children.

Newsletter

Join us

Subscribe and we'll keep you updated about our book, Iceland with Kids!